GolfGTIforum.co.uk
General => Cosmetic and bodywork matters => Topic started by: Chris Green on 17 February 2005, 15:15
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Hello!
I am going to look at a red mk2 gti on Saturday, and have been informed by the owner that the colour has faded.
Although this hasn't put me off, I am a bit concerned. Will T-Cut Definitely restore the colour? or is it possible that the paint has faded so much that the only thing that will fix it will be a respray? I know T-Cutting a car is gard work, but I'm prepared to do it. I don't want to fork out for a respray however.
Cheers,
Chris.
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Tornado pink is there too stay, you wont T-cut that out. There have been a few threads about this, do a search and read those first, I'd say if the paints faded and you dont want the expense of a respray then don't bother.
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yerah i'd agree with gibby, once its gone bad its gone!
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get the electric polisher on it it will prob sort it out :wink:
if u ant got 1 a body shop or car valeter will do it 4 u :wink:
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If i remember, the red pigment is the weekest of all the colours and blue (what have i said) is the strongest! I think i got that from a documentry on the aztecs, where as the paintings on the wall they created were mostly faded apart from the blue dye they used, or something like that :) History lesson over :)
Don't forget a decent respray is going to cost you between ?1000 - ?1500!
It's cheaper to buy a gti with a great body and naff engine, as it's cheaper to replace :) and then you have a new car, well sort of :)
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Yeah I think something similar was discussed in another thread on here and it was said that there was something different about red paint pigment. Like my old man always says and this applies to humans as well as cars, you can always put a new heart in but once the skin goes then that's it ! Biology lesson over :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
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I had a red car for 6 weeks while mine was having the engine conversion. The paint was really faded on that one, so as I was seriously bored I decided to t-cut it. It totally transformed it. The paint was awesome. You'll need to put a heavy layer of wax on as soon as you've done the panel. do 1 panel at a time and make sure you get that wax on! After 6 weeks the car was still looking good.
worth a try. you can always knock the cost down by bringing up the faded paint and how much work is involved with restoring it.
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yeah i'm not saying it cant be brought back to its original colour but you'll have to keep doing it every few weeks to stay on top of it, and theres only so much paint you can cut back!!!
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ok, thanks for the replies.
I guess I'll just have to see how bad it is! I appreciate it will take a lot of effort to T-Cut it, but I guess its worth a shot.
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mine was a little bit pinky on the roof and offside door and back panel when i bought her last november.a bit of t-cut and polish and she came up good as new.it's started to fade a little bit again now,only on the back panel so a little bit of elbow grease is needed once more.
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mine hadnt faded to pink, it had gone more in the carrot orange colour. . . .
But i was to lazy to t cut it, so i have no usefu info for ya!!!! :huh: other thn its gonna take a lot of elbow grease to t-cut a whole car :shocked:
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Thanks for all the replies.
I did buy the car in the end. It seemed a bargain at ?270, (D Reg 8v gti, with tax and mot till June) Even if it had faded to a very light pink / white colour in most places.
However, I bought an orbital polisher, and some t-cut.
I was very dissapointed that the t-cut didn't do hardly anything at all. I thought that would be it, and that I'd be stuck with a pink car.
Then my dad suggested that I try a cutting compound, similar to what they use in a spray shop, to remove overspray etc. I bought some from my local Motor World, and gave it a try.
Its taken me and the missus all afternoon, (Started at 1, and finished at half 5) but the results are fantastic. We used the orbital polisher for the bonnet and roof, but did the rest by hand. You would never believe that it has ever been faded at all. I wish I took some before and after pics.
I would recomend using a cutting compound to anybody! You then have to polish the car with normal polish / wax after, so it is a big job. The car looks so much better though!
I'm sure you'll hear from me in the future, I've got loads of questions etc.
Regards,
Chris.
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good on ya. t-cut is basicly a cutting compound but a very light one so the stuff you bought must be better. use the t-cut from now on so as not to go through what paint you've got left and just keep on top of it. it'll be fine!
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and here she is now...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/chrisgreen82/DSCF0161-LowRes1.jpg)
Next thing I'm going to do is the wheels. Expect loads of questions....